Motor vehicle lock



May 30, 1939.

M. TIBBETTS Moron VEHICLE LOCK Filed Feb. 18, 1935 Patented May 30, 1939 PATENT OFFICE x uoroavamcmnoox Milton-Tibbetts, Detroit, men, assignor to Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application February 18,1935, Serial No. 0,939

'I'his'invention relates to motor vehicles and more particularly to locking mechanism for looking and unlocking the doors of such vehicles;

This invention is particularly applicable to the sedan, type of vehicle in which there are four doors, two on one side and two on the; other, but some of its features are applicable to vehicles having only two doors.

In the conventional locking mechanism for automobiles there is a latch mechanism meach door and a handle on the outsidefor operating the latch mechanism to release the door so that it may be swung open, and a handle on the inside for the same purpose.

. Usually there is a device on the inside-for locking each'door against opening fromthe outside and then there is a key mechanism usually for the right front door only, for key locking that door from the ouside. The device for looking I the door on the inside is usually operated by the inside handle-by. moving that handle in the reverse direction from that in which it is moved to release the door catch. a 1

- with this conventional construction, when it 25 is desired to'lock the vehicle from the inside against intrusion from the outside, it is necessary to move each of thefour inside locking de- I vices and it is diflicult to do this from the driver's seat particularly when the car is in motiom Also,

30 such locking of the rear doors does not prevent thosedoors from being-opened from the inside and hence the rear doors are not secured against three of them from the inside and then close theright front door from the outside and key lock it. .1; is so much trouble that many car owners leave their doors unlocked and it is much easier for the thief to steal the car because he can work quietly at the ignition look from the inside of the car.

It is anobject of the present invention to provide doorlocking and unlocking mechanism that will overcome the disadvantages above described.

It is another object of the invention that by a single device. all of the doors of the vehicle may 'be locked against outside intrusion and, inthe.

-6 cam. (01. iii-262) four door type of vehicle, the rear doors may be locked against openingfrom the inside by door handles of those doors.

- Another object ofthe invention is to provide from the locking mechanism to thereby prevent 1 one from accidentally locking himself outside of the vehicle. After the door is so closed it 'will' be locked by the key locking. mechanism on the outside.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism fora plurality of doors of o the vehicle so arranged that one of the doors may be opened from the inside and when so opened its adjoining door may also be opened,

'but as soon as the first door is closed the said adjoining door will be again locked. The closed door may'then be key locked from the outside. Thus in a four door vehicle a single device locks all four doors andafte'r thus locking the doors the operator of the vehicle may open the right front door and with that door opened the right rear door may'also be opened to permit other passengers to alight. -The'right rear door may then be closed and assoon as the right front door is closed, with the master locking mechanism in locked position as above stated, the right rear door will againbe locked. The right front door may then be locked with thekey and all four doors will be locked against outsideope'na ing except with the key. a

Another object of the inventionis to providelocking means whereby two doors'on'opposite sides of a center body post may be locked by a device on one of the doors even though one of these doors is pivoted to the post itself. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking means for a plurality of the doorsof a vehiclesuch that when the multiple lock device is moved to locking position one of these doors may be opened from the inside and again closed, which opening and closing releases the lock of that doorrand then when the device is moved to the reverse position the multiple locks will be restored to unlocked position and the lock release mechanism to non-releasing position, so-

that the "multiple lock device may again be operated to lock all of the plurality of doors.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connecas 'tion with the drawing. which forms a part of parts being broken away to illustrate the lock Fig. 4 is an inside elevation 'of a portion of i the left front door and adjacent parts Lofthe vehicle shown in Fig. l, with parts broken away to show the lock mechanism under the upholstery.

Referring to the drawing, the vehicle body I shown in Fig. 1 has its front toward the right so that the door II is the left front door and the door I2 is the left rear door. Doors l8 and H are the right front and right rear respectively. The thickness and dimensions of these doors and other parts of the vehicle are not intended to be accurate and are shown diagrammatically to some extent so that the lock mechanism thereof may be illustrated more clearly.

The front part of the vehicle body usually referred to as the cowl is indicated at l5 and between each pair of doors is a post I8 forming parts of the skeleton or frame of the body. The rear quarter of the body is shown at 1.

The two front doors are hinged or pivoted at l8 and I9 respectively to their respective posts I 6, and theleft rear door is hinged or pivoted to the body portion H as at 20.

Each of the doors is provided with a' conventional latch member,one of which is shown diagrammatically at 2| on the left front door; A

. portion of one ofthese is shown on the left rear door. This latch mechanism is-shown in eleva-, tion in Fig. 4 and it comprises a latch bolt 22 operated by a spring 23, a releasing lever 24 operated by a'handle 25 on the outside of the door,

and a release rod 26 for remote'control by a handle 21. A stop 28 limits the movement of the bolt 22. There is also a pivoted dog 29 connected by a link 30 to the same arm II to which the link 26 is connected. There is a pin and slot 001111861 tion 32 for the link 26 and 'a similar pin andslot' '33 for the link 30. v

From this description of the conventional lock .mechanism it will be seen that thebolt 22 is spring held in its latching position from which position it may be moved by the outside handle 25 to unlatch the'door, or from which position,

it may be moved by the inside handle 21 to unlatch the door. This unlatching movement of 1 the handle 21 is downwardly in Fig. 4, or counter.-

' turned by the outside handle -2lto ,unlgc h eg positibn. "However, the bolt 22 may still liemoved to unlatched position by downward movement of the bolt 22 without turningthe lever 24.

clockwise about its pivot. However, if the handle 21 is moved upwardly or'clockwise, in Fig. 4, the

dog 29 will be moved behind the lug 24 on the lever 24 and the latter'will be prevented from turning and consequently the bolt 22 cannot be "the handle 21 as such movement will withdraw The same movement, however. withdraws the dog 22 and thereby releases the lever 24. On the shaft ofthe handle 21 is a segment I! having notches 35, and a spring pressed ball or detent 21 opera 'ates in these notches-to-yieldinglyretain the handle 21 in either its neutral position or in its locked position. It is not to be retained in its unlatched position, the spring 22 returning it to neutral position. 1

. Such or similar locking mechanism may be arranged on all four of the doors of the vehicle door, a sliding bolt 4| for the left rear door, a

sliding bolt 42 for the right front door and a sliding bolt 43 for the right rear door. The bolt 40 is connected to an arm 44 on theshaft of the inside door handle 21 and there isa push rod 45.

connected to an arm 46 on the opposite side of said shaft. The rear end of the push rod 45 is adaptedto extend into an opening 41 in the post l6 and contact with'theend of the lock bolt 4|, which latter bolt is spring pressed to' its unlocked position by a spring 48. By movingthe handle 21 from the position shown in Fig. 4-to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 the lock bolt bolt 40 is moved so that its forward end enters a recess 49 in the cowl portion of the body, thereby locking the left front door against opening fromthe outside, and the push rod 45 acting a'gainst'the forward end of the lock bolt 4| moves the rear end of that bolt into a recess 50 in the door I 2 so that that door is also locked against opening from the outside. This rear door I2 is also locked against opening from the inside so far as its inside handle 21 is concerned, and it can be unlocked only by movement of the handle 21 of the left front door.

The outside edge of the slot 49 is formed by a spring pressed plunger 5| so that the door may be closed with the locking bolt 4|] in its locked,

position, the plunger 5| being beveled as. at 52 and retracting from the end of the lock bolt 4|! as the door-closes. The spring 53 pushes the plunger back into locking position when the door is completely closed. There is a similar plunger 5| forming the outer wall of the recess 50 in the left rear door l2. It will be seenthat the 'openwould, of course, permit retraction of the lock bolt 4| and thereby unlock the rear door- |2 but assoon as the front door is again closed the lock bolt 4| will be again moved to its-locking position.

As the lock bolt 42 is moved to its locking position as above described,- it contacts with and moves a push rod 54 springpressed toward the rear by'a spring 55, which rod -54 is connectedto a bell crank lever I4. A rod I1 connects with 'bell crank lever 54 to a similar bell crank lever 58 on the other side of the vehicle and the other arm of lever 52 is connected to the lock bolt 42 "above referred to.v Bylthis movement the lock bolt 42 is moved to the locking position in which a similar movement of. a push rod ll mounted in e the right frontdoor |3.an'd the rear end of; this Push rod 59 extends into an opening 41 in the .6! asis the case so that the door I! may be opened in spite of the 42 being in locking position. The

right hand body post It and in contact with the front end of lock bolt "which is also spring pressed forwardly by a spring I similar to bolt -4|. Thus the lock bolt 43 is moved into a socket 6| in the right rear door l4; thus locking that door against opening from either the inside orthe outside as with the door l2. There is a plunger 5| forming the. inner wall of the recess with the door l2.

In'this construction also it will be seenthat the opening 41 is slightly larger than the rear end of the. push rod .59 so that this rod may'move on movement of the handle or device 21 on the inside of the left front door will simultaneously lock all of the four doors of the vehicle, this movement of the handle causing the lock bolt 4| to move rearwardly intolocking position, the lock .bolt 40 moving forwardly into locking posi-.

tion, the lock bolt 42 moving rearwardly to its locking position and the lock bolt 43 moving rearwardly to its locking position. Reverse movement of the handle 21 will positively withdraw the lock bolt 49 and the other three lock bolts' will then'be withdrawn by the springs connected with them, the spring withdrawing the bolt 42, the spring 48 withdrawing the bolt 4|, and the spring withdrawing the bolt 43.

For thepurpose of locking the vehicle body securely from the outside,- provision is made for releasing one of the doors, preferably the right front door, from its ,lock. bolt the remainder of the locking mechanism, sothat the occupant of "the vehicle may thereby open this door, step out of the vehicle, and then close the door. But it is desirable thatthis actionshall not leave that door locked against outside openihg because in' that event the owner of the vehicle might accidentally. lock himself out by thoug'htlessly leaving his key in the ignition lock. So it is desirable that when this right front door is thus opened and closed it may be in unlocked position but all of the other doors must be left in locked position. 'Thus the right front door may be locked with the usual key mechanism as by the key .19 shown in Fig. 3. The details of this keylocking mechanism are not shown but they may be of any desired construction.

' The mechanism that thus permits the right front door to be opened-and-closed' to an'unlocked position is shown particularly in Figs,- 1, 2 and 3. A plunger 89 mounted toslide on the rod 59 and spring pressed towards the right by into which the lock bolt 42 extends when it is door-handle 2'la of the right front door II. This a spring. 8!, forms the inner wall of the recess moved into locking position in the front face of the door l3.

lock bolt 42 is moved to locking positiom' The plunger OBmaya-lso be positively retracted as by connecting it to an arm 82 on the inside connection may be made through a rod 84, the forward end of which is connected to a ,bell crank lever 85 pivoted on the plunger 29 as at 96. A

' stop OIfllimits the movement of the lever 25- in one direction so that a -pull'on the rod 24 will withdraw the plunger II. to a releasing podtion without disturbing plunger isbeveled as at I2 so that the end o the bolt may D1311 it back in case the door happens to be open when the look bolt P unser- N is shown in its. releasing position in Fig. 2.

The handle 21a of thisright front door I3 is, ofcourse, the handle by which the door is opened from the inside and it has the same connection 26 to the conventional latch mechanism so that in order to open the door the operator moves the handle 21a "downwardly and withdraws the latch 22 and opens the door. As this is done the rod 84 also withdraws the plunger so that the door may be opened past the lock bolt 42. "V

For the purpose of retaining the plunger 80 in its releasing position there is a pawl 99 mounted on the rod 59, which pawl catches back of a lip 9| on the plunger 80 and thereby retains the plunger so long as the locking bolt 42 is in its, locking position." A spring 92 presses the pawl 99 inwardly and it may be withdrawn by a lever 93 pivoted at 94 and extending through an opening in an extension 95 on the pawl. The .forward end of the lever 93 has a roller 96 which co-op'er- ;ates with a depression 91 adjacentthe forward end ofthe lock bolt 42. Thus when the end of the-lever 93 is in the depression 91 the pawl 90 is spring pressed inwardly to catch and hold the plunger 80.

The plunger 80 may be manually released. by reversing the movement of the handle 21a since this reverse movement rocks the lever and pushes the pawl downwardly and thereby redraws the pawl 90 from .the lip 9i and releases .the plunger 80. In other words, the unlocking movement ofthe multiple lock handle 21 on the left front door restores all of 'the parts to their original position, that is, the four locking bolts to their unlocked positions and the plunger 80 to "its non-releasing position. This means that ifai'ter the four doors have been locked by the multiple locking device and the front door is then openedand closed from the inside, thus leaving the right front door unlocked, all of the doors can again be locked by moving the handle 21 in the unlocking direction (counter-clockwise in Fig. 4) and then moving it to locking position again. thus-unlocking thethree doors, releasing the plunger 89, and then loclcing all four doors again. I.

Or if the passen er on the right front seat desires to lock the right i'ront'door'when the other three doors are locked and the right front door is not locked, that passenger may look the right front door by moving the handle 21a to its locking position, thus releasing the plunger 80 so that the latter assumesits nonreleasing position. 7

While I have herein described in some detail a specific. embodiment of my invention; which I deem to be new and advantageous and may speciflcally claim, I do not desire it to be understood that my invention is limited to the exact details of -the construction. as it will be apparent that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz'Jo closed.

iii)

1. In an automobile having two'doors, the combination o1 lock means for each door, a device having connections for simultaneously operating the lock meanspi both said doors to lock said doors against opening from the outside, a device operable from the inside of the vehicle for re leasing one of said doors from its lock means without disturbing the lock means 01! the other door, means for. releasing the lock means of said other door as the first door is moved .to open position, the lock means of said other door returning to locked position as said first door returns to closed position, and means for retaining in releasing position the releasing device of the first door when such door is opened and ,2. In an automobile having a door, the combination oflock means for said door, a device for moving said lock means to and from locked position, said door being locked against opening from outside when said lock means is in locked position, a device operable from the inside of the vehicle for releasing the door from said lock means when the latter is in locked position, and means to move said releasing means to releasing position and retaining it there when the door is closed with the lock means in locked position and the releasing means in non-releasing position. v

3. In an automobile having two Iront'doors and two rear doors, the combination. of lock means for each door, a device for simultaneously operatingthe lockmeans of all of said doors to lock the front doors against opening from the outside and to loci-r the rear doors against opening from both the outside and the inside except by operation of said device, and inside operable means independent of said device for releasing one of the front doors.

4. In an automobile having a body with a door opening therein, combination of a locking bolt extending from the body into the door, a plunger mounted in the door and co-operating with said bolt to retain the door in locked position, means for withdrawing said plunger so that the door may be opened without disturbing said locking bolt, and means for automatically retaining said plunger in its is withdrawn.

6. In combination with an automobile having a door, manually controlled lock means for the door, retractable means carried by said door urged to normally engage said lock means for preventing opening of the door, independent manually controlled means movable in one direction to retract said retractable means to a position rendering said lock means inefiective, automatic means for retaining said retractable means in its retracted position, said controlled means actuating said automatic means to release said retracted means when the controlled means-is and a door for said opening, the

moved in a direction opposite to said first 3t direction. I

' MILTON TIBBE'I'IS. 

